Process of forming button-shanks.



W. H. PRUEFER.

PROCESS OF FQRMING BUTTON SHANKS.

APPLICATION FILED APB..18, 1913.

1,087,550. 7 Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Fig.1

I7 I W V I Emmi/[1oz MaZier/qBZ/e/er UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. r UErEE, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIG-NOR 'ro THE FIRM E FISCHER AND PRUEFER, COMPRISING SIGMUND FISCHER AND WALTER H. PRUE- F E,- BOTH or PROVIDENCE, nnonn ISLAND, COPARTNERS.

"rnoCEss 0E romaine BU'TTON-SHANKS.

' Specification CflLetteIs Patent. Application filed April 18, 1913. Serial No. 761,967.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAIIIER H. PRUEFER,

I a citizen of the United States, and resident of'the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Forming Button- Shanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new process of forming a button shank, and consists in drawing a piece of sheet stock up into a cup: shape and forming a flange around the open edge of the cup, then reducing that ortion between the flange and'the closed em? form-- ing a reduced neck portion and a head on the latter end, then flattening said head and piercing said flattened-portion to form an eye, turning the edges of the pierced stock from both sides of the eye inward until they practically meet then shaping the base portion to be readily attached ,to the button head.

A further object of the invention is to turn the edges of the base outward forming a flaring cup-shaped flange adapted to be spread to engage an undercut recess in the underside of the button head whereby the shank is completely formed and attached in position'without the use of solder.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Of the accompanying drawings: Figure 1- is a side'elevation showing a button head in cross section and a finished shank formed by my improved process connected to, said button. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation [illustrating the result of the first step in the process, which is that of drawing a piece of sheet metal up into. a cup-form leaving a flange around its open edge. Fig. 3,is a sectional view representing that portion between the flange and the closed end as having been reduced to form a neck portion and a head. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the spherical-shaped head after reducing the neck portion. Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating the head portion as having been flattened. Fig. 6 illustrates the flattened:

portion as having been pierced. Fig. 7

shows the pierced edges of the stock as rolled or turned inward, the opposite edges of the stock meeting all around the internal diameter of the eye; Fig. 8 illustrates the fore constructed of a piece of wire bent into. a loop form, and the ends of the wire sol-' dered to a cup, which cup is connected to the back portion of the button head. But in .my improved construction it will be seen that the wire ends, are necessarily attached to the cup portion by solder, the heat of which is very objectionable as it destroys and forms a rough and unfinthe plating ished article.

The object of my improved invention is to prdvide a shank having a fastening flange all constructed of a single integral piece of metal the construction of the shank and fastening of the shank to the'button being entirely completed without the use of solder by which construction an extremely strong and durable button shank is provided, the" same being very neat and attractive in appearance with no joints exposed.

In carrying out my improved process I first draw a piece of flat stock up into a deep cup-shape 10, as illustrated in Fig. 2,

leavinga flange 11 around its open edge;

-The stock between the flange and the closed end 12 is reduced by swaging or-otherwise,

as at 13, forming a reduced neck portion and leavingthe outer end 12 in a substan tially spherical form thereby providing a I head. This head 12 is then flattened as into the form illustrated at 1 1 in Figs. 5 and 9, and this flattened portion is then pierced,

an eye 15. One of the features of the in vention is that the edges 16 of the pierced portion of the stock are rolled or turned inward toward each other, as illustrated in Fig.- 7, forming substantially a complete circle in cross section of the stock around the center portion being removed forming the eye, said edges meeting substantially in 4 a medial line. The base flange 11 may be then shaped into any suitable form. whereby it may be readily attached to the button head 18, but I preferably turn the edges of this base portion outward, as at 19, see Fig. 8, forming a flaring or beveled cup-shaped flange which is particularly adapted to be inserted into an undercut recess, such as that illustrated at 17, in Fig. l, in the back of the button 18, whereby this flange may be spread and adapted to fill the recess and engage these undercut walls for the purpose of firmly attaching the shank to said head.

It will be observed that by my improved process I form the shank complete without the use of solder, and also attach the shank thus formed to the button head without the application of any heat thereto. A further advantage in my present invention is that the shank may be formed of rolled plate and by drawing the same up into a cup form flattening and piercing the head and then turning the edges of the pierced stock inward toward each other it will be noted that only the precious metal surface is eX- posed, the base metal lining being completely covered.

I claim:

1. The process of making hollow button shanks consisting in drawing sheet stock up into cup shape and forming an attaching flange at the open edge, shaping the closed end into a substantially spherical head, fiattening said head, piercing said flattened head to form an eye, and turning the opposite edges of the pierced portion inward until they meet and abut in substantially a medial line whereby only the outer surface of the stock forming said eye is exposed.

2. The process of making hollow button shanks consisting in drawing sheet stock up into cup shape and forming an attaching flange at the open edge, reducing the diameter of the cup between the ends to form an elongated reduced shank and simultaneously shaping the closed end into a substantially spherical head, flattening said head, piercing said flattened head to form an eye, and turning the opposite edges of the pierced portion inward until they meet and abut in substantially a medial line whereby only the outer surface of the stock forming said eye is exposed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOWARD E. BAnLoW, E. l. OGDEN. 

